As one learns of the mysteries of the eternities their list of things unknown increases.
Capacity to love increases in a direct ratio to the increase of the number of people we love.
Faith in things unknown increases as knowledge of things known increases.
As the time spent in compassionate service increases there is a corresponding increase in personal compassion.
Giving fills one with the understanding of the abundance of their blessings.
Paying an honest and full tithing increases personal prosperity.
Restrictions in one’s diet increases health and longevity of mortality.
Lessening of the wants of life decreases the length of our needs list.
Increasing appreciation for what others do makes one less demanding.
Knowing about nations heightens the importance of home.
An increase in testimony of the unseen God makes all else in life seen more clearly.
Being a stimulant of happiness to others fills one with joy.
Close and rewarding relationships in the family increase the feeling of universal kinship.
Awareness of the magnificence of Deity increases personal humility.
Understanding of gospel principles helps one sort out the confusion in the world.
I invite all to add your ponderings to this list of the fascinating and remarkable mathematics found in the doctrines and principles of Heavenly Father’s plan of Happiness. I would love to make that list my thoughts for next week’s Thoughts for a Sabbath Day.
Dear Friends,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this post very much.
Janice (Grammy T.)
"Thank you Brother Riley. Its hard here in California without my wife but your spiritual thoughts give me so much each week. Thank you for living your life the way so that it can touch mine."
ReplyDeleteSteven Mendenhall
Beautiful thoughts Bill!
ReplyDeleteSherry Hall
Dear Brother Riley, Muchas gracias por su mensaje.
ReplyDeleteMy past few days here in Vietnam have proved fascinating. The people
are getting ready to begin festivities for New Year that will begin
February 2nd and last about 5-6 days. They are buying kumkaut (please
excuse my spelling) trees up to take back to their homes in the
villages. These trees symbolize good luck. Main religion here is
ancestral, and it sure puts a whole new perspective on honoring one's
ancestors. When they bury a person, family digs up grave three years
later, washes the bones, then reburies -- sorta a closure.
It amazes me how the cultures have good in them, though a bit of
"uniqueness" for sure as well.
Hope all is well with you and your loved ones.
Con amor,
Bonnie
Thank you so much. We’re going to do this for family night tonight! You don’t even know me, but I appreciate your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteBonnie Childs
Estimado presidente Riley,
ReplyDeleteReciba un cordial saludo,
Gracias por el pensamiento de este domingo, de hecho las matemáticas es unas de mis virtudes y habilidades y pensando en aportar a sus pensamientos del próximo domingo, le envío las siguientes líneas, ya que en esta última semana he llegado a sentir eso que estoy compartiendo y gracias por inspirarme a escribirlo para tenerlo presente:
“Cuando vemos disminuidas nuestras capacidades para alcanzar objetivos justos deseados, debemos dar mas lugar a la Fé y dependencia del Señor, quien multiplicará nuestras facultades y habilidades para lograrlo, Él aumenta nuestras virtudes, potencia nuestros talentos, hace la conversión de nuestras debilidades en fortalezas. Sin lugar a dudas el cálculo de lo que somos capaces de hacer y llegar a ser, si demostramos nuestra dependencia de Él, es infinito ”
Queremos además compartirle que hace 7 días hemos recibido un cambio en el SEI, me han asignado como Director del SEI en Colombia y con Inocencia habíamos pensado en compartirle a usted de esta nueva responsabilidad, nos sentimos agradecidos con el Señor por su confianza, al mismo tiempo tenemos sentimientos de inhabilidad y más que nunca sentimos que debemos confiar en Él para hacer bien la tarea.
Ahora debemos mudarnos a Bogotá, nuestros hijos están contentos por el cambio, aunque con tristeza por dejar amigos, el colegio… de seguro se acomodarán donde lleguemos.
Agradecemos a usted por su amor y dirección como presidente de misión, recordamos sus enseñanzas, yo creo que queremos seguir siendo buenos “Chubs”, de hecho tengo en mi escritorio el caballo y me recuerda constantemente quién soy y lo que debo hacer. Gracias presidente!!
Un fuerte abrazo de toda la familia y siento nuestro amor desde la distancia. Haga extensivo ese abrazo y amor a la hermana Riley.
Con cariño,
Inocencia y Yan Carlos
Presidente,
ReplyDeleteI just wanted you to know that I love and appreciate so much your weekly email. It is the first thing I read
every Sunday morning..........I love it in English and Spanish!
You kids are awesome.......................
Take care,
Craig Lark
A slightly different take on mathematics of happiness. Man tends to think in terms of scarcity, finite amounts, getting the biggest portions, diminishing returns, the biggest, the best, the most. A "numbers" game. The kingdom of our Father deals with infinity, inclusiveness, sharing, abundance, many mansions. The miracle of the fishes, "all" could inherit a place in the Celestial Kingdom if we are worthy, the ever expanding circle of love. There are so many contrasts, even considering the "slippery" riches of the Nephites and the prosperity cycle. Capitalism and most other earthy economic theories focus on the finite, maximizing "your" return, etc. I propose that we need to think of our opportunities in a much more infinite and inclusive way.
ReplyDeleteWhich brings me to another soapbox, the whole intellectual "property" restriction & limitation on . . . . but I will leave that for another day. -BobMac
Pres. Riley: Here is my contribution to the mathematics of the Gospel:
ReplyDeleteR=1∙lim ƒ(w)
w→o
The true spirit of free agency would seem to be met only by allowing Adam and Eve to have carefully weighted the alternatives and then, as representatives of all the pre-mortal spirits who chose to follow God’s plan, to have made an informed decision.
The above mathematics relates to “justification”—that the quantitative level of their wrong doing was low 9or non-existent). Thus starting with the formula R=r∙ ƒ(w) in which “R” is the quantity of deserved punishment “r” ranges from 0 to 1 9zero responsibility to full responsibility for wrong doing; “W” varies from trivial to catastrophic wrong doing; and “ƒ ( )” is a function that converts the amount of wrong doing into its just punishment, the effect of justification on Adam and Eve’s transgression for mankind can be seen in the outcome that even assuming “r” is “1,” “W” approaches zero.
If, however, one interprets the Scriptures to mean that Adam and Eve were simply tricked by Satan (see, e.g., Moses 5:10-11) then it would appear that the mathematic is:
R=0∙lim ƒ(w)
w→ ∞
In other words, the doctrine is one of excuse versus justification.
Blain Andrus